Nonprofit Coffee Break: Brandon Calloway
In the Nonprofit Coffee Break video series, Nonprofit Connect sits down with a different nonprofit professional to chat about leadership, learning, and life over a cup of coffee. Tune in to each episode to learn from these individuals' experiences and challenges and help us highlight our sector as an important and vibrant part of our city.
Nonprofit Coffee Break is presented by FROST Media Group.
This month, we sit down with Brandon Calloway, CEO/Co-Founder of Generating Income For Tomorrow, or GIFT.
In one sentence, please describe who you are and what you do.
I am the CEO & Co-Founder of Generating Income For Tomorrow. We raise money to provide grants and technical assistance to Black-owned businesses East of Troost Ave, in the historically redlined areas of the city where Black poverty is still most concentrated.
How did you get started working in the nonprofit sector?
How did you get started working in the nonprofit sector?
I made the shift from the corporate world to nonprofit in 2018. I wanted to use the skills I acquired to have the greatest impact on the greatest amount of people. So, I left the corporate world to start over in nonprofit.
On what day did you feel proudest of your work?
That is a hard one. A few days come to mind but the one that stands out the most is when we got one of our grant recipients a deal with Hy-Vee. Ophelia's Blue Vine is an urban farm that now provides fresh herbs and spices to all of the local Hy-Vees. This was able to happen because of the funding and support we gave him to grow the business and he was fully prepared when we made the connection with Hy-Vee to make the deal happen.
What is the biggest challenge you face in your role?
Proving my competence and legitimacy as a nonprofit leader. Despite what we accomplish at GIFT, I walk in to many rooms where people see that I am young and Black and they assume that I need help, advice, mentorship, or we haven't thought through our program. It's frustrating to say the least.
What is a trend you see in the nonprofit community that excites you, or concerns you, and why?
The focus on diversity without inclusion. The racial reckoning that the country experienced last year created an intense focus on the need to change many of our country's systems. Philanthropy is included as one of the systems that has some growing to do in order to become more inclusive. So I am excited to see an increase focus on creating a more equitable system within philanthropy, but concerned that I have seen the people who are in the positions to make the changes, not want to be truly inclusive in listening to the solutions presented to them by people of color being impacted.
What is your advice for a new nonprofit professional?
Meet everyone. Reach out to everyone. Talk to as many people as possible. That will allow you to build a network and a community that will help to amplify your success.
What is your favorite place in Kansas City to grab a drink (coffee or cocktail)?
Soulcentricitea, they have great herbal teas and herbal lemonades. Since I am not big on coffee or alcohol, it is always my go to spot.
What is your favorite Nonprofit Connect resource?
VMI - Volunteer Management Institute. It really teaches how to engage with donors and volunteers in a meaningful way. As a fundraiser I would absolutely recommend it.
What is your call to action for the viewers?
We only exist because of the people of Kansas City. Over half of the money we raised last year came from people making one time donations or signing up to donate their $10 a month. We need to get to 15,000 people donating $10 to create a more inclusive Kansas City, and we can't do that without people going to kansascitygift.org and signing up to become a donor.
Connect with Brandon and GIFT:
- LinkedIn - Brandon and Generating Income For Tomorrow
- Learn more about Generating Income For Tomorrow.
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